On Monday, 30 June, the three Peregrine Falcon chicks at St Albans Cathedral were ringed, just after they turned three weeks’ old, revealing that there are three males on the nest.

The ringing was carried out by Barry Trevis, a licensed bird-ringer and nest recorder, who holds a government license to visit the nests of this specially protected species, and who has been responsible for ringing all of the Peregrine pair’s chicks since they first bred on the nest in 2022. Barry also built the Peregrines’ nest tray and led the team that installed it high up on the Cathedral.

Barry Trevis said:

“We know from the webcam live-stream that the parents have looked after the chicks well, so when we checked them over we saw that they were all in good condition. We fitted a ring on each of their legs. One is a British Trust for Ornithology metal ring, a bit like a license tag, the other is a larger ring which is coloured orange with black lettering which means we’ll be able to track them in years to come.

“The birds are ringed to provide information on their origins and future movements. The colour rings mean we can tell where they come from, how old they are, and who they are. It gives us a much better idea of how long they live, their movements around the UK and even abroad, as well as their relationships – helping us to understand their family trees.

“At the same time, the birds are ringed, we weigh and measure them to ascertain the sex of the birds. Females are much bigger than the males and we were able to conclude that this year’s brood consists of three males.”

Ringing has enabled one of last year’s chicks from St Albans Cathedral, now a juvenile, to be identified at Port Meadow in Oxford. Its presence was reported to the British Trust for Ornithology by Thomas Miller, who saw and photographed the bird ‘XSR’, which was ringed at the Cathedral on 27 May 2024. The bird has been seen in Oxfordshire regularly over the past six months.

Lea Ellis, Engagement Manager at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust said: 

“There are so many people that build a real connection with the Peregrines as they watch them on the webcam so it’s great to know what happens to the chicks once they become independent and leave the nest. Thanks to the ringing process, we now know of sightings of two of them – their first chick, Artemis, was seen in Norfolk and now we have this fantastic news that one of last year’s chicks looks to be making his territory in Oxfordshire.”

The Very Reverend Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans said:

“It’s a real joy to see the peregrines thriving once again on the Cathedral. They’ve captured the imagination of thousands, both here in St Albans and online across the country. The live cam has become a powerful reminder of the beauty of the natural world and the important role our sacred spaces can play in supporting wildlife. We’re proud to share this journey with so many, and to play a part in protecting these extraordinary birds.”

The public can continue to enjoy a live, birds-eye view of the Peregrine Falcons via the webcam installed on their nest tray, as the chicks develop through to fledging. The webcam, sponsored by Opticron, can be viewed via the Cathedral’s website at stalbanscathedral.org/peregrine-live-cam

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and the St Albans Local RSPB Group have organised a series of Peregrine Watch events within the grounds of the Cathedral over coming weekends. These events enable the community to find out more about these magnificent birds of prey from the volunteers on hand and to get a close up view of the Peregrines through telescopes and binoculars, which are provided. The full schedule of Peregrine Watch events can be found at: hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/events

The Trust has launched a Peregrine Sponsorship Pack, available in both postal and digital forms, with all proceeds going towards supporting local wildlife. More information can be found at hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/shop